


Cash or Check

by sunmint



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gangsters, Alternative Universe - 1930's, F/M, M/M, Stormpilot
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-25
Updated: 2016-04-29
Packaged: 2018-05-16 02:59:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,617
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5811043
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunmint/pseuds/sunmint
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>1930's Gangster AU. Commander Poe Dameron of the New York Police enters his eight year of chasing down the elusive thief and Chicago based ex-gang member Finn.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Only in New York

They met again in New York. 

“Put the knife down, Finn...” Poe whispered cautiously. He was getting too old for this. His mousy brown hair had lost its former shine and his weary legs pleaded with him to stop chasing him years ago. But he never felt more alive than now. Even if he did have a knife to his chest. 

“Uh, sorry Poe, I can’t do that. That’s not going to work until you put down your gun.”

“Excuse me, sweetheart, but that’s not going to work for me either”

“Okay…. okay.” Finn thrust his arm forward, clumsily knocking the gun out of his hand and sprinting like hell away from him. 

“Finn!” his voice screeched, as he watched him turn a corner. He wasn’t prepared to lose him now. Eight years of chasing wasn’t going to end because of a crowded street. 

“I’m not going with you, Poe!” Finn shouted from behind him. He loved this. He loved their private game that featured the entirety of the United States as their playground. He scaled a rusting fence, a loose wire catching the hem of his brown leather jacket. He paused, reaching around to ruefully examine the damage. He yelped at the rough grip on his shoulder from behind, his arms being pulled back behind him.   

“See how much easier this is?” Poe picked up his wrists, the sweet clack of the cuffs singing out as they were freed from his pocket.

_ “ _ Oh gallant officer, you have caught me! It is time for justice to be done for my so very heinous crimes. Shameful, woeful me!” he deadpanned, watching a scandalized mother usher her kids quickly pass the alley.  _ It would be a shame to let it end now  _ he thought mournfully, watching him struggle with the metal cuffs _ , eight years for this moment. _

He waited patiently at first, feeling pity for the shorter officer.

“I almost got it, I swear.”

_ Jesus. _

It all happened in a flash. He flipped his arm up and around himself, forcing him in front of him with his arms behind his this time. Poe sank down, throwing the larger figure over his shoulder with a triumphant grin. Finn’s hands wrapped his legs around his waist and thrusted his body forward, knocking Poe flat onto his back. He recovered in time to hear the soft  _ click _ of the cuffs against his wrist.

“Coffee?” Finn grinned, holding back his other arm above his head. 

“As always. Whose turn is it to pay?”Poe nudged him off, accepting his outstretched hand as he hauled himself up. He brushed off his dust covered uniform with his free hand, almost knocking an already loose button off.  They walked side by side, hands secretly entwined at their sides with the soft jingle of the thin chain between them. They strolled down the street, their arms pressed flush against one another as they whispered quietly to one another. They ducked into a small diner, sliding into a small booth tucked away in the corner of the quiet room.

“New York, huh?” Poe started, waving down a waitress and ordering a simple coffee for himself and a hot cocoa for Finn “I thought you would still be in Los Angeles”

“I needed a change of scenery” he smiled, “Plus there was only so much work for me out there”

“Care to explain what exactly it is you do?” 

“I work in sales”

“No you don’t”

“Yes I do” he insisted, turning to thank the waitress profusely for bringing them their drinks.

“No you don’t. I can feel it in my righteous blood”

“Prove it, Officer Dameron.” he winked playfully.

“I damn will!” he slammed his fists against the table and rattling the napkin dispenser, startling the few guests around them.

“Woah there, Officer, steady now. That napkin dispenser is innocent until proven guilty.”

“Charged as guilty for aiding you in sassing me. Sentenced to life in prison. Maximum security. Maximum everything. To hell with this thing.” he knocked it over with his cuffed hand, dragging Finn along with him. Finn laughed wildly, wiping tears away from his eyes. 

“So high and mighty for a man who used to think that he could- ”

“Yea no, that’s where you’re stopping yourself!” He huffed,  taking a sip of his coffee with his free hand “I’m a respectable member of society. A commander of the force” 

“Not a very good one.”

“Hey, who’s cuffed to the officer here? I’ll give you a hint- has been wearing my jacket for the past eight years, likes dancing and world renowned thief ”

“ _ Alleged _ ” he laughed, his shoulders relaxing “and don’t get snarky with me or else I’ll cuff you to the table and leave” he watched him about to open his mouth again “Uh-uh. Nope. Nada. No talking for you for a bit, you lost your talking privileges” 

Poe cleared his throat, the tender smiling playing at his lips dropping into a somber frown.

“Look, I’m not trying to get snarky with you” he whispered softly, locking his gaze onto Finn’s “I did that for you. All of it. I wanted you safe” 

“That was your choice”

“Finn I…”

“Nothing you say can take back what happened” he breathed out “And nothing you say will make me change my mind. It’s been eight years, It’s over now. Sure we had some good times, but you left me there”

“Finn… New York was supposed to better.” he whispered, reaching out to touch his hand gently. Finn shifted his hand to entwine their fingers automatically. Their cuffs clanked together.

“It’s too late for that, Poe. How many times do you need me to say it?”

“I think of you all the time.”

He shrugged “If I’m correct, your sort of an officer and I am sort of an alleged thief. It’s your job to think about me. Or are you really just that bad at your job?” His own heart throbbed at his callous words. He didn’t mean a word of it and he hoped Poe wouldn’t be able to feel his doubt as he loosened his grip on his hand.

“Just let me talk!” Poe tightened his grip, not wanting to let him go.

“....I’m sorry” he turned his head away, staring down at his forgotten drink “Do you regret it?”

“Regret what?”

“Leaving. Running away from all of your problems like that and leaving me to clean up the mess. Leaving me and those people who cared about you to pick up the pieces you left behind. Trying to figure out what happened and why the hell you-”

“I don’t!” he yelled too harshly and wincing at the sound of his voice “I-I don’t. I probably should, but I don’t. I’m glad I did it and I would do it again in a heartbeat… Not that my younger self would agree but I… I don’t regret it. I don’t. I saved those people and I did my job. I’m sorry I hurt you though”

“Good” Finn smiled, taking a sip of his cooled hot cocoa.

“Good?’ Finn, I left you and you back in Chicago after doing exactly the opposite of what you said to do. You warned me what would happen and I still did it”

“Good because now I know it wasn’t all for nothing. The pain, the clean up… everything. If you regretted that action, it would have made everything we did worthless. You saved so many lives by doing that. You’re a hero, Poe”

“O-oh” his cheeks flushed with realization, glancing out at the street and staring at the hoards of unfocused faces. He noticed a young girl with her hair pinned up high and curls dangling in her face stride by, knocking  twice at the window they were leaning against. He watched her turn the corner, her simple white dress trailing behind her in a flurry of cotton.

“And I can’t stay here anymore. You’re not safe here, Poe, not with me still in the city” He dragged his attention back to the situation at hand.  

“Of course I’m safe, Finn” his face softened, “Who do you think you’re talking to? I always stay safe.”

Finn snorted, “Yeah, I know. I know… but that doesn’t mean we can go back to how things were. Too much has changed”

“You don’t have to keep running. You can turn yourself in and we can settle the whole mess now. Let me help you, so you can finally be free of that nightmare. It’s been eight years, it’s time to let it go” he pleaded, tenderly reaching out to stroke his cheek. 

He shook his head sadly patting his calloused hands gently, “I can’t. Not now… maybe one day. But not today. Please… it’ll be safer if I’m well out of your life and out of the country.” They sat there together, gazing at one another and reflecting on the few snatches of time the two have moments like these. They met in every city. Always finding the closest diner and catching up like they weren’t a commander of the New York police and an ex-gang member. 

“I hate to break it to you, but I have to leave” Finn uncuffed himself, slapping it around the table’s stand as he reached down to pat down his tightly curled hair. “It was nice catching up with you. I’ll see you later, Poe”

“No, wait, Finn!” he yelled, yanking the table uselessly. Finn smirked, dangling the key in front of his face. 

“Keep a better hold of your keys next time,  _ sweetheart. _ ” he removed a handful of change from his pocket and dumped it on the table before disappearing into the streets.

Poe cursed himself, fishing through his pockets for a spare key. He jumped up, racing out the door although unable to catch sight of the distinct light brown jacket. He fell into the crashing currents of people rushing by and felt himself be pushed into the center of the storm, as he unceremoniously tripped on the curb. His breath hitched as he felt a hand reach out to him and pull him by the tails of his coat till he was standing and the calloused hands landed on his waist, his head still facing the street..  

“Cash or check?” A warm voice whispered from behind him, engulfing him in a tight embrace as a head fell onto his shoulder.

“Check” Poe smiled to himself, leaning back into the tender embrace. “Always check, Finn” 

“You still smell like stale coffee… Maybe we should meet somewhere other than a diner” he snuggled in further until Poe’s soft hair tickled his ear. He laughed at the sensation and nuzzling the warm body behind him. 

“You’re unbelievable” he muttered, reveling in the warmth, trying to capture every warm puff of breath and every scar on his hands. Seconds later, the hands slipped out from under him and he gasped at the loss of heat. He watched Finn drag himself away as he slipped into the ocean of people surrounding him, disappearing into the thousands of  nameless faces. They would meet again. They always did.

He hesitated. He saw it now. 

Although he figured it out too late. And then he was stabbed in New York. 


	2. How 'bout a Dance?

**Chicago 1919**

“Who are they?” Poe whispered, leaning across the bar on his elbows. He had discarded his suit jacket and tie hours ago with a glass in hand, covering his mouth. He sat at the end of the bar, resting comfortably in the shadows and away from the thick throngs of smoke that suffocated the room. He had been hanging around long past after the rest of the band left. 

“We call them Zero and Nines. They’re the bouncers here” Finn nodded, wiping down glasses “Both excellent fighters. Very good at their jobs”

“Better than you are at yours” he smirked, pointing to a thick smear of lipstick left on a rim in the middle of the already stacked glasses. 

“Oh hell no” he began to furiously un-stack them as Poe howled with laughter, “Don’t you dare laugh at me, man, this is serious! Shit! Why didn’t you tell me before?!”

Poe shrugged in response, laughing at the idea of prohibition and downing the last few drops in his hand. 

“What time is your shift over?” 

“Not soon enough apparently” he scrunched his face, carefully examining each glass this time “Can’t believe you distracted me from this!”

“How did I distract you? I’m just sitting here quietly enjoying my drink after my shift and looking out for your carelessness while I’m at. You should clear my tab, I practically work at the bar now too” 

“Really? Really? Is this how we’re doing this? Okay, you know what? Go for it. Go nuts” He set a large wooden case on the bar, causing it to shake beneath its weight. He threw a few rags in Poe’s face for good measure.

Poe’s barely managed to catch the rags, falling out of his stool in the process.  He picked up a glass, smiling as he gingerly began wiping around the rim, polishing away all the water stains that were scattered like freckles across the face of it. He stared at the back of the other man’s head, watching him unbutton his vest and roll his sleeves up past his elbows. 

“So, Finnegan” he cleared his throat “what do you do in your free time?” 

“Finnegan?”

“That’s your name isn’t it?”

“Not anymore” he grinned shyly, picking up his abandoned glass and vigorously scrubbing it without looking up. He could feel his face flush at what he said, his heart hammering away in his chest and immediately regretting what he had said. He refused to meet his eyes. They only spoke only one occasion before then. Finn had cornered Poe about him being an officer and they struck a simple bargain. 

Information in exchange for freedom.

They continued to wipe glasses in a comfortable silence together. The sound of the cups tapping against the counter and the gentle clicks of them being stacked filled the almost empty room. 

“I like to dance” Finn finally murmured, staring particularly hard at the glass in his hand.

“Why didn’t you say so?” Poe beamed, leaning across the maple bar, allowing his hand to graze across the other man’s arm as he flipped on the radio. A soft melody floated across the bar, drifting past the a group of people stumbling out and murmuring their thanks. 

Poe offered his hand to Finn, a large smile still gracing his face. Bundles of greased back curls came loose over the course of the night, bouncing against his smooth forehead. Finn stared at the hand, his eyebrows shooting up to his hairline.

“C’mon didn’t you say you like to dance? What do you say?”

“Yes, but…” he whispered, pointedly looking at the bouncers chatting idly by the door.

“To hell with them” 

Finn snickered, reaching out to grab his hand. He hopped over the smooth counter, slipping on his way down and dragging Poe with him in a desperate attempt to not fall. 

“You are the most graceful dancer I have ever seen” Poe placed a hand on his shoulder and one on his own chest, “I mean really, you should be on Broadway. That was beautiful… just breathtaking”

“Oh shut up” he stood up, reaching out his hand. He pulled Poe up, spinning him around in a quick circle and placing his other arm around him, staring at one another while they bodies began to drift along with the next song. They swayed together for a moment, allowing the interlude of the new song to lead them. 

Their feet twisted together in a quick succession of steps as they twirled around the room. They narrowly avoided each table and velvet chair, careful not to break anything in their path. The man’s voice became muffled as they drifted further and further away from the radio. They floated around each other, finally coming to a stop as the final note flickered out leaving nothing. They remained by the stage, leaning against one another as they were both unwilling to be the first to let go. 

“Finnegan!” a loud voice yelled, causing him to drop his tight grasp around Poe’s shoulders and waist. Zero and Nines were facing toward them, hands stuffed deep into their pockets. “Everyone’s gone now except you and him. S’all right if we head out for the night?”

“Yes, yes of course. Thanks for your help tonight. See you tomorrow” he stammered, checking his pocket watch and blanching at the time. They turned and ran out the door before he could say anything else. 

“We should probably head out now too… ” he mumbled towards Poe, biting his lip.

“I’ll walk with you, where do you live?”

“Across the bridge”

***

Finn blew out a breath of warm air into his hands, watching it blow like smoke from a chimney on a winter night. He had forgotten a jacket that morning, thinking a scarf and a golf cap would be sufficient. Glancing at his side he saw Poe shimmy off his top jacket and hold it out in front of him. 

“Here. I have another jacket on”

“Thank you…” he held the jacket in his hands, rubbing his thumbs against the soft worn leather and tracing his hands across the blocks of chest. He threw it on quickly, relishing in the body heat that still clung to it and felt his face flush. He didn’t deserve this gorgeous and charming man to treat him so kindly. The bar had been won in blood against a rival gang, passed down for three generations now. A bar he helped maintain three nights a week when not out fulfilling his other duties. He enjoyed the thrill of successfully completely a mission. He had been given all low risk assignments; simply stealing objects here and there and acquiring the alcohol when needed. All he had to to was avoid the police. He stole a look at Poe at this, who returned his glance with the hint of a smile. 

_ It’s only flirting, what more would come of it? _ he decided, zipping up the jacket and shoving his hands deep into the pockets.

They walked idly side by side, drifting with the occasional strong gusts of wind that moved them close enough for their arms to brush with every step. The stars above his head flickered in out from past the burnt orange and naked branches high in the sky with strips of moonlight seeping through and lighting their path. Blocks passed as they kept their same stride, not speaking, but still settling into a comfortable silence. Finn's thoughts floated back to their impromptu dance, grinning madly into his scarf. Everything was beautiful. Even the floorboards that croaked beneath the lightest touch had been silenced in their little slice of heaven in that bar from hell. He closed his eyes for a moment, causing him to trip on the curb and crash into a tree. 

Poe stifled a laugh in his hands, instead offering his condolences for the loss of his common sense, and a raising a match as he prayed for it to rest in peace. Finn slapped the match out of his hands and stamped it into the street.

Once they arrived at the bridge, they shrugged past the series of caution board and continued down the newly poured concrete. Finn reached for Poe’s hand, keeping a tight grip on him and holding him back form going any further. Stopped in the center, they could make out the twinkle of the night sky light up the tranquil city nightlife. He closed his eyes, listening to the river beneath humming and splashing against the shore line.

Finn had been afraid to walk with him past the bridge. He knew he was only indulging him due to their bargain for information. He wouldn’t sacrifice such a rich source of information over a few moments like this. Moments he would store in the back of his mind forever. Moments that would get him killed if he walked him straight into gang riddled territory. 

“This is a good place to stop, my place isn’t much farther up the road from here”

“Finn” Poe started, reaching out his hands to cup his cooled face. He stared at him for a moment, before making up his mind. He leaned forward, closing the gap between them and clashing their chapped lips together and drawing him closer with his other hand. 

**New York 1931**

Finn caught him, swiftly dragging his limp body into an alley. His back arched as he hit the ground, a blotch of red forming at his side seeping through his woolen coat.

“Oh fuck...” he wheezed, gripping at his side. He laid down against the garbage can, squeezing his eyes together “What the hell was that?!”

“You got too close. I warned you. Again” he mumbled, his eyes watching the blood trickle down and form a small pool underneath him. He ripped the bottom off his cotton shirt, winding it tightly around his waist. His hand lingered on the wound. 

“Well hell, pretty sure that happened back in Chicago when we-”

“You know what I mean, Poe.”

“Yea… yea I do” Poe leaned back into the wall, feeling the cool rumble of the city coursing through the brick behind him. “So much for your alleged crimes” 

“You already knew that. Stop acting like you don’t know what I’ve done” Finn kneeled in front of him, reaching out to rub the pad of his thumb against Poe’s cheek. He leaned forward, his lips a soft suggestion against his ear- “Cash or check?” 

“Check, you idiot” Poe smirked, “Is that even a question at this point?”

Finn stood up with a pained smile, his hands clenched at his side drawing spots of blood. He turned his back on him and pointedly did not look back, striding slowly down the street. 

Poe groped at his side, accessing his own wound.  Deep enough for stitches, but not enough to kill him in this alley anytime soon. He cursed himself for being so careless. He let his guard down for a moment too long. He pushed his instincts away and instead chose to live in the moment and in those arms that reminded him of what once was and would could have been if only he had stayed. It was only midday and he was already bleeding out in an alley- a new record for himself.

Glancing down the street, he saw a young girl start making her way swiftly down the alley. His eyes wavered again, his vision going blurry as he stared straight forward at the series of windows across from him in an attempt to focus. He listened to the clicking of heels coming closer and closer before he realized the soft tapping had stopped.

He opened his eyes to see the same stern looking mousy haired girl from earlier in front of him. On top of her pristine white dress she wore a brown leather jacket with a heavy collar of fur framing her face.  She pursed her lips, cocking her head to the side as she stared him down. 

“Can you walk?”

“Yea, probably. Give me a second though. Might be a bit difficult getting up” Poe nodded, using the trash can beside him to lever himself up. 

He saw a quick flash of the girl’s fist in front of him and from there, everything had gone black. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello wonderful people. As of right now I'm planning on this whole thing wrapping up in 7 chapters? or so. Not sure yet. We'll see.  
> From here on out, it'll be a mix of past/present. The moments in the past will be more focused on Finn while Poe would be the focus in the future chapters.   
> I'm far from a decent writer and if I made a mistake along the way always feel free to let me know, I will be forever grateful. Thank you :^)


	3. I Believe

**New York 1931**

  
Poe jumped up in bed, gasping as he choked on the heavy smell of gasoline in the air. The action caused a ripping sensation in his side, he saw spots of red forming on the clean gauze. He wrinkled his nose in pain, reaching up to find a slight fracture at the bridge. He steadied himself and took his surroundings into account. A modest size room furnished with pictures and books scattered around. The window had been shielded with a patchwork of material that was pinned up with a series of nails. He closed his eyes, listening to the turning of a wrench accompanied by the scrapping of wheels against the floor.

Finn. Stabbed. Punched. Strange room. He ordered the day’s events that led him there with a sigh. Something similar had happened to him before in Detroit six years ago, but it still didn’t make it any more pleasant. He was sure his nose wouldn’t survive the next round.

He cautiously stepped out of the bed, feeling the soft plush of a small square carpet beneath him squish pleasantly against his bare feet. Grimacing as he gripped at his side, he stumbled into the wall. The smooth hardwood gave way to a cold ground of cracked concrete. He could see a large warehouse laid out in front of him, rows of cars and a plane all squished together in its limited space.

Poe walked slowly around, gazing at the ripped posters of Broadway shows and lights that warmed the room with an artificial glow. He came across a pair of worn leather boots sticking out from beneath a car. A soft humming floated up with the same click click of the twisting of the wrench he had heard before.

He watched a small hand pop out from underneath to reach around, patting the ground in search of a piece of metal that laid in front of his feet. He stifled a laugh, placing the piece into the hand that slithered back underneath. He stood there for another minute before a familiar face came wheeling out from underneath the car.

“Oh, you’re awake” she nodded, still laying on her creeper. Her smooth brown locks had been wrapped up in a dirtied red bandana that was covered in thick slabs of grease. He glanced at the breast pocket of her olive green coveralls, staring pointedly at the neatly stitched ‘DAMERON’ written across it with rows of stars lining it.

He decided that could wait till another.

“Care to explain why you punched me again, Rey?”

“Finn told me to take care of you. It didn’t look like you could walk, so I did what I did last time. It works” she shrugged, wiping her greasy hands on her legs.

“Yes because carrying a bloodied police officer in the middle of Manhattan looks much less suspicious than me limping about”

“I put you in my car and threw a sheet on you. Don’t make that face, it was much easier this way”

“Why am I here?”

“He didn’t tell you?” her eyebrows wrinkled together as she stood up, her creeper rolling slowly away “Finn told me he told you what was happening”

“Tell me what?”

“Scouts honor, I really shouldn’t say”

“Rey, how many times do we have to go over this? You are not a boy scout” he sighed, pinching above the crack in his nose. Every time they would meet, she would happily show off one or two badges she had mysteriously procured. She became a beacon of lost or traded badges over the years.

“Then how do you explain this fine number?” she proudly pointed to a bronze medal clipped to her waist.

“You traded a pack of baseball cards for that one. I was there. It was last week at the park”

“All lies. Who told you that? Was it Muran from the station? Muran’s a liar” she gasped, clutching protectively at her row of metal and fabric awards.

“Muran isn’t- How do you even know him?” he started, waving his hand out in front of himself, thinking better of questioning her and what she does on a daily basis “No, that’s not important right now. What’s going on here?”

“Kylo” she looked away, rubbing her fingers against the polished medal “He’s in New York. He arrived earlier this week. Same time as Finn did” His heart stopped. He felt the hairs on his arm rise and a cold sweat began to drip down his body. He had played with the idea of someone from the order coming to find him again. Although he would have never guessed it was Kylo Ren. He had been declared dead in Chicago. Eight years ago.

“I thought you killed him in Chicago?” he steadied his voice the best he could, swallowing down every outburst of rage that almost slipped through his lips.

“Hux must have saved him. I didn’t go back and check. The building was exploding. Why didn’t Finn tell you? I saw you two meet up”

“That stupid son of bitch! He’s going to get himself killed, damn him!” He stamped the ground, burying his head in his hands “Do you know why he’s here?”

“Why else?” Rey shrugged, “Finn betrayed him, exposing his empire to you. I bludgeoned him with a wrench on multiple occasions and renounced his God. And you. You took away everything he had and you weren’t even in Chicago anymore”  
“Why now?”  
“Today’s our anniversary... We never miss it. Someone must have told him”  
“Finn… where is he?” Poe slumped over on the sleek car, reaching out an arm to steady himself.  
“He ran”

**Chicago 1923**

  
“The Covington Foundation opens new Refuge” Finn scoffed, as he threw down the newspaper, exposing the clear shot of an uncomfortable looking man with slicked back hair and a pinstripe suit standing in the middle of a group of smiling children, his hand hovering above them in what was an effort to show affection “I can’t believe this bull shit”

“Is that him?”

“Yes, that’s him. He’s only a figure head that throws temper tantrums like you wouldn’t believe. I’ve only spoken to him once, but that was enough”

“He never made public appearances before, why now?”

“Because they want to appear wholesome to the people with all the problems happening right now. How can such a kind man whose running for a government seat be using children as drug mules? Not that man! Oh lord no. Look at that young, innocent face that truly conveys the ‘I’m not a mafia leader, I’m just very religious with the slightest hint of good crazy’ look. Truly a man of Jesus! Oh, Margaret he’s so handsome!”

“Heavens, Helen, stop being so indecent!” he chuckled, grabbing for the newspaper in Finn’s lap and slapping his arm lightly with it.

Finn watched him curiously from his nest on the couch where he had been splayed out for the last four hours. He had to return to his job at the bar tonight to report new information he had found from the other side. He had been relaying the bare bones of information, explaining to his superiors that he feared the police might be catching on and it would be safer to keep their distance. They had listened for the first two years. Now they grew impatient.

“Was it bad there?” Poe bit his lip, reading through the article in his hand. Each and every word praised the Covington family, thanking them for their generosity in the country’s time of need and for taking care of those children who lost their way.

“We had food and a place to stay it was good until we would reach the age of six. From then on he started using us. They had some morals, at least. God fearing ass holes”

“Was Rey a part of it too?”

“Rey? No, she refused. She kept running away and they stopped looking for her. She said she already had a family, but she would come curl up with me when the weather would get bad at night”

He hummed, flicking on the radio on the desk. Finn cracked open a book, assuming the conversation was over for the moment. Every so often, Poe would fall silent. His lively personality simmering down as he would just lose himself in his thoughts. Sometimes he would turn on the radio, allowing the static beats of the music to help him mull over his thoughts. He began to sing softly when the next song came on.

The song we first danced to Finn blushed, staring blankly at the book in his hand. He stared at the words, however all he could imagine was a musty bar filled to the brim with smoke and the smell of booze. And them floating through it all as if he had been whisked off his feet by prince charming.

“Where did you learn to dance?” he finally managed, turning the knob to the far left until the music became a gentle lull after the song ended.

“Damn, what’s with all your questions today? I found an old radio in a shop that I would hang out in. They let me play it sometimes if I finished my chores. The owner showed me all my moves” he smiled fondly, thinking about those snatches of time where he truly got to be a child. Every night before closing they would always allow him a strict ten minutes of freedom, a privilege his peers never knew “Very nice people. Would have never guessed that their laundromat was a multimillionaire drug palace though”  
Poe grunted, cutting out the headline and pinning sections of the article up on his wall. He smoothed down the papers and took a step back to admire his work.

“I'm an officer trying to gather information, you're interfering with my case. What name is he going by right now?”

“Matt Covington aka Kylo Ren aka Ben Solo aka world’s biggest punk ass bitch”

“Jesus, Finn” he laughed, “should I put that on the board?”

“Yea, right under ‘shit stain of a jagweed’”

“Got it” he smiled, writing it down with a flourish on a poster filled with scribbles and swears and even a doodle or two featuring a pimpled stick figure angrily waving around a gun “What does that one even mean?”

“Have you ever seen his face? Describes it perfectly” Finn watched him from his spot on the couch, nestling with the warm cup of cocoa in his hand. For four years he worked closely with the police, sneaking in and out of his apartment and claiming he had been working when asked. They had been able transport dozens of children away to homes or orphanages over the years. Despite their best efforts to be discreet, they were starting to catch on to the mysterious disappearances. They began a hunt on all those who betrayed them and offering high bounties in exchange.

He hadn’t shared that bit of information yet.

“Officier Pomeranian, what next?”

“Is my hair that bad again?” he leaned over his chair, craning his neck to look at his face in the mirror. His curls poofed out against his head, tickling the thick scruff on his face. “Fair enough, Investigator Newfoundland”

“Tch” Finn responded, patting down his own hair with a smile tugging at the corner of his lips “I just got my hair cut, don’t even start”

They sat in silence, going back to their reading and enjoying this time of peace. Finn reached his hand out behind him, twirling his hands through Poe’s unruly hair and gently scratching at his scalp. Poe leaned into his touch, closing his eyes with a soft sigh. He twisted his hair around his fingers, carefully working away at the neglected tight knots at the base of his head.

Poe stood up from his desk, knocking Finn’s feet off the couch and sitting in their place despite his protests. He laid his head against his shoulder.

“We have to act soon” he mumbled, entwining their hands together and feeling the slight twitch in his hand.

“Don’t be stupid. You have to keep waiting. You’re going to frighten him. Like a stinkbug. Scare him and poof everything stinks”

“But he’s about to start a war those kids are going to all die”

“Not all of them. They’re stronger than you think. They could survive it and we could ship them out after once it’s all clear and they’re distracted cleaning up whatever mess he creates” he whispered, not wanting to disturb their current outward state of peace.

“He’s going to use those kids to fight, Finn. They won’t last the night”

“Yes they will. Most of them will hide and hopefully get the hell away from there with that bit of freedom their given. A majority of them aren’t kids anymore, by the way. They’re adults now. All groomed from birth to produce his army of faithful slaves”

“But they just opened that new refuge. He’s going to have so many more children by time everything happens. We have the resources to save them. You could be a hero”

Finn sucked in a breath. Hero. “No, not me. I could never be a hero”

“Yes, you. You could save those lives and stop his war before it even begins. All you have to do is stay. Stay and help us”

“He’ll kill all of us. He doesn’t care who dies for this”

“Then why have you been helping me if you didn’t think we could do this?”

“Because I believe in you. I don’t think the police will be able to take down this idiot, but I think you can”

“Why me?”

“Over these years you’ve always done what's right no matter the consequence. You’re the real hero here. No matter happened you always stayed and fought. Something I never did”

“Will you stay with me?” Poe twisted his body around, his voice nothing more than a whisper as his eyes searched Finn's face for his eyes. He reached his hands up tenatively, wrapping his calloused hands around his cheeks while rubbing soothing circles into the sides.

“Yes. I always will” he closed his eyes, leaning into his embrace and reaching down until their lips met.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for how long this took! I've been so busy with school and work I haven't had much time to work on this. As always enjoy and thank you for reading!  
> Also all my chapter titles are from musicals because that's just who I am at this point.


	4. Burn

**Chicago 1920**

“Cheers” Poe grinned, biting on his bottom lip as he lifted his glass towards Finn’s unimpressed face. Poe had gone overboard, decking out his apartment with a series of mismatched candles and roses laid around with soft music pumping from the radio on the clothed table.

“This is unnecessary” Finn shook his head, his face heating up at the over the top romantic setting. From the single rose placed in a vase on the table to the picnic they took at noon, he couldn’t believe the situation he had landed himself in. For one year he had followed this man around, sneaking into his apartment at midnight and often leaving before the sun could rise. They barely had time for their personal relationship outside of working on their case. Although that did not deter Poe in the slightest. 

“Do you like my shirt? It’s new. It’s this finely aged material imported from this small town in Guatemala” 

“Oh? What’s it made of it just looks like cotton?” Finn stared at it, scrunching his face in order to try make out the soft cream of the shirt in the dim light. He had never been good with new  fashion and refused to embarrass himself now.

“ _ Boyfriend _ material” he smirked, hiding his broad smile behind his glass as he downed the last of it. His eyes crinkled at the edges as his shoulders began to shake with silent laughter. 

“I’m leaving” he announced, pushing his chair back with a screech as he began to walk towards the door. He couldn’t believe this. A whole year of bad jokes, constant aggravation, tender touches, midnight milkshakes and of sharing a bed with a man he loved.  

He was truly fucked. 

Poe grabbed his hand, still laughing maniacally at his own joke as tears began to form at the sharp crease of his eyes.

“Yea, sure laugh it up”

“Don’t be cruel, I’ve been saving that one for weeks. I even wrote it down so I wouldn’t forget”

“Got anything better, Romeo?” 

“If I profane with my unworthiest hand. This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this; My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand. To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss” Poe recited softly, grasping both of Finn’s hand in his own and leaning down to place a soft kiss to his hand. “Have saints not lips, and holy palmers too?” 

“That’s fair, I did say Romeo. And how dare you skip Juliet’s part man? I was going to say it” he mumbled, not willing to meet his eyes that he knew was gazing straight at him. His heart clenched at the thought of them together. He couldn’t help but think this was simply out of pity from the older man, taking him under his wing as his own personal charity case to boost his already thriving ego. He shook that thought away, grasping at Poe’s hands and closing his eyes to enjoy the moment. His hero. His Romeo. All his. 

He craned his neck forward and placed a soft kiss against his lips, relishing in the soft tenderness between them. 

“Thus from my lips, by thine, my sin is purged” Poe finished, that sent a chill down Finn’s spine. 

“How dare you skip over all of my lines?” He gasped, fisting his hands into his once crisp shirt, breathing heavily and almost gasping for breath”

“You weren’t fast enough, Juliet. Come on, we’re hiding out during a ball with our warring families dancing about while sneaking in a quick one” 

“Please don’t taint  _ Romeo and Juliet _ for me. It's so pure”

“Too late” he shrugged, coaxing Finn back to the table as he poured more wine for the both of them. They sat down again, picking at the forgotten cake that had been generously coat in icing and fistfuls of sprinkles. He had told Poe in passing once about how he had never had a real cake before. From there he had made it his mission to ensure Finn would experience everything in life, even down to the smallest detail. 

“Where did you get the food tonight?” 

“I, uh, made it” Poe grinned sheepishly, scratching the back of his head and running his hands through his thick locks “I hope that’s okay. I know I promised the best, but I wanted to do it like this. Just you and me” 

Finn’s face flared up, stuffing his face with more cake before he could say anything more to embarrass himself. He really did not deserve a man who could do everything and embodied everything he wished he could be.

"We can order out tomorrow" he started, his fork scrapping at his plate, his head still facing down and biting his lip again "I just wanted to make tonight special"

"No!" he yelled, accidentally slamming his fist on the table a little too hard and knocking down the radio "No, it's perfect. This is great. Thank you, it's amazing"

Poe grinned this time, happily sitting back into his chair and relaxing. He had closed his eyes, his heavy eye lids drooping and his head swaying in time to the music. Finn watched him enjoying the view and taking in his current surroundings, taking mental snapshots of everything in this room. The flowers were braided together in thick rows around the edge of the windows with more scattered about in a variety of vases. His home hadn't been anything extravagant- a simple one bed room apartment with a spacious living room. However, decorated like this, Finn felt like royalty that had finally come home. 

“Any more bad pickup lines for me? Or are we actually just going to enjoy this day in peace like normal people?” Poe seemed to consider this for a moment, chewing on the inside of his cheek and tapping his fork on his forehead before his eyes lit up. 

“Let’s commit the perfect crime: I’ll steal your heart and you’ll steal mine”

“Okay” Finn smiled to his surprise, “Cash or check?”

“How about some cash now and I’ll bill you later for the rest, yea?” He laughed, reaching his arm out as he pulled his tie towards him to drag him into another kiss in the warm glow of the room and the gentle breeze that seeped in from the starry night.

Finn could taste the sugar and lamb. 

 

**New York 1931**

Poe ran madly through the streets, his heart pounding wildly in his chest as he counted down the blocks. His eyes raked up and down each passing street, searching for the familiar jacket and cropped hair in a sea of ash grey suits and crisp hats. The sun sat high above him in the sky, beating down against him as beads of sweat began to seep into his bandages. He pounded on his chest, kicking his lungs back into action as they strained against his wool coat and exertion during this peak summer day. His body slammed against a windowed storefront, causing shoppers to squeak in surprise as they scurried away. He laughed at that, cooling his slick forehead on the glass. 

The quiet thumps of the city riveted his body, sending shots of electricity through his body while the rush of blood filled his ears. He shook off this sensation, refusing to pass out in the street now. He mentally checked off each possible place that Finn could be.  _ Rey’s air hanger. His apartment. The diner. The bar downtown. The police station. Their park. The train station.  _

He meant to leave again with no intention of being caught again.

“Fuck!” he kicked the wall, tearing through the city until he reached 42nd street and the long block of the train station that was filled to the brim with bobbing heads and flying dust. He glanced up at the schedule-  _ 3:10 Hartford _ . He had fifteen minutes to find him and only seconds to convince him to stay. 

Eight years of chasing him that never would end.

 He glanced down past the rows of heads and clouds of smoke and his heart stopped. He was staring down at a book in his hands, sitting at the far end of the platform. He was still wearing his jacket. 

He began to push through the throng of people before remembering he had the ultimate way to always avoid a crowd in a time of crisis. 

“NYPD! Coming through!” he yelled, flashing his badge left and right as he raced through the parted sea of people and apologizing to the horrified faces that surrounded him. Men and women dashed out of the way, almost falling into the tracks in effort to escape his grasp. He looked mad- his curls clumped together by his sweat and blood gushing from his side, staining his jacket a rich crimson red and leaving drips of blood with every step.  

“Finn...” he gasped, gripping his side and the wound he feared would never heal at this rate “You’re still here”

“Officier Dameron” Finn nodded, flipping idly to the next page in his book and staring pointedly down. Poe could see his hands begin to shake.

“Finnegan Covington, you’re under arrest in the name of… Jesus or yea… Jesus that works at this point” he grumbled, grabbing Finn by his jacket and dragging him behind the station and into a small nook. He heard the murmurings of the crowds and ignored their judgemental stares and harsh words.  

“In the name of Jesus, really? Couldn’t think of a better name?”

“I panicked, why are you leaving?” Poe whispered, shaking his shoulders.

“I can’t be here anymore”

“But you knew he was coming here! Why come back just to leave again?”

“I don’t know if you’ve been paying attention, but that’s how our relationship works” He bite out, throwing his book to the ground. He knew what he was referring to. That fateful day in Chicago. 

“Please… don’t leave. We can finish this once and for all. I love you, Finn” he breathed out, running his hand through his thick set of curls as he desperately sought anything that could make him stay. 

“I tore you from my heart years ago, Poe” Finn shook his head, pushing Poe back “I trusted the hero and that’s where I went wrong. You know, for one damn minute I actually believed the good guys could win? I loved you so damn much. But, not anymore. I’m done getting hurt and I’m leaving. For good”

“All you do is run!” Poe shouted, “Stand up for what you believe in for once in your damn life. Stop running and stop blaming other people for your problems. You’re a great man, Finn. You’re better than this. Come with me, please” He reached out a shaking hand, he stared at Finn’s hardened face and felt his eyes almost begin to water. His mind ran a mile a minute, looking for the right words to keep this man in front of him.

“Do you remember when we first met?” 

He saw the hesitation in Finn’s eyes. He snatched at the doubt that flickered across his eyes.

“You, just a bartender and me the guitarist. That’s all. Not a gang member, not a cop; just two guys sharing an illegal drink at an illegal mobster ridden bar” he chuckled “We danced all night. Long past when everyone had left. When we finally left, we strolled across the Avenue bridge where we kissed for the first time. Half way between my place and yours”

“And you gave me your jacket because I was an idiot who forgot my own” he huffed, wiping his eyes against the leather that did nothing to absorb his tears. He held onto Poe’s hand, squeezing it tightly in his own grasp. They were together in Chicago for four years, their lives so deeply entwined they barely left each other’s side during the last year.  

“Run away with me, Poe. We could start a life far away from all of this, anywhere. Rey would come with us. We could be happy, just the three of us against the world”

“Finn, you already ran away. This. The stealing and struggling to survive and constantly on the go. I don’t want that, I’m too old for that. I have a job here, I’m making a difference and I do not plan on changing that. You should stay, stay and finally confront all of this and we could be together. Here in New York. Just say the word. We could get back what we had in Chicago and more. We could be happy here”

“...No. I’m done fighting him. I stayed last time and look where I landed. A no good thief that’s been running for the better part of a decade. It’s not going to get any better if I stay this time”

“Where would you go?”

“Does it matter?” 

“It does to me”

“Why on earth did you run then?! We needed you… I needed you. Rey she… she worked so hard to help those people that were hurt. Day and night doing all of that for weeks... and me? Every night I would go back to your place. And wait like some dog. I had nowhere else to go and he was looking everywhere...” He sobbed, wrapping his arms around himself and squeezing the taut leather. 

“I had to leave, I thought you were dead!” he shouted, the beginnings of fresh tears stinging his eyes “They said you were caught in the building with Kylo. That you were out cold on the ground and that there was no way you survived it. I thought I had no reason to go back” 

“It doesn’t change the fact you broke my heart, Poe Dameron. You promised you would come back for me!”

“I thought you were dead” he whimpered, loosening his grip on his jacket. “Everyone said you were dead…”

“Well, here I am”

“Here you are…” his voice shook, tears forming in his eyes as the world began to blur. He couldn’t tell if the spots in his eyes were from the sheer amount of blood he lost or the stress from the situation at hand.

They stared at each other, tears fresh in both of their eyes. The thumping and cracking of a train’s wheels startled them, causing a new rush of people racing up the stairs and saying their goodbyes. Poe stared at a couple embracing on the platform, tears rolling down their cheeks as their whispered their hushed words of affection and promise.  
“Goodbye Poe” Finn thrust out his hand, steeling his face into a neutral expression although his bloodshot eyes betrayed him. 

Poe stared at him dumbly, at a loss for words. He watched him pick up his bags, walk up the short steps and disappear onto the train to nowhere. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am SO sorry this took so long to get out. I got very busy with school work and life just got me. I'll try to post two chapters this week since the next one is almost done. Thank you for reading and I appreciate all comments/criticism!


	5. Days of Plenty

**Chicago 1923**

“Poe, we’re not one person,” Finn laughed, lazily pretending to push off the smaller man, ruffling his hands through his thick curls before giving up with a huff. He had spent the last week in Poe’s apartment, slipping out seconds after lights out at his place and crawling into his window at midnight. Their days rarely overlapped, with Poe rushing off to the station at every emergency and Finn having to sneak around his superiors constantly. He had forty-five minutes before he was expected to report for his first shift at work and he dreaded the fact he had to leave. 

“Wait? No, it’s too early. No. Absolutely not.” Poe curled himself around him, engulfing Finn in a hug that resembled a python squeezing it’s victim more than a tender embrace. 

“Some of us have to get to work on time. Not all of us works as the head of the Chicago police force and can show up whenever.” Finn untangled himself to sit up and stretch. He glanced down fondly at the dead weight of a man laying face down on the bed. His deep as night hair in a mess and hinted with only the slightest scattering  of white that made his head look like a summer’s night. He ruffled his hair and received a simple grunt in response. 

“Finn… don’t go…” Poe whispered, tearing himself away from his bed, reaching out his hands to try to grab on to the lost contact. He finally laid his hands down, stretched out across the bed, too lazy to keep them held up any longer “I’d just rather spend time with you.”

“Aren’t you sweet. Is that why I always show up at your apartment door?” he chuckled, reaching his hands out to grasp onto Poe. 

“No, you come for the view.” Poe winked, gesturing to the expanse of his body that was barely covered by a thin sheet tangled around their legs.

“Oh shut up.” Finn blushed, throwing another pillow at him. He had run out of pillows and accepted his fate in his pillow-less world if it meant he had gotten his revenge. 

The sun was already attempting to peek through the window, strips of light making its way in past the blinds and embracing their still sleepy faces. They laid like that for a while, smiling at one another and just enjoying the bliss of that moment. Lying there they could hear the rumble of motor cars driving past that vibrated across the small apartment with the occasional barking dog in the distance. Flecks of dust danced across the blocks of light, seeming as if they jumped from stage to stage in small, swift movements. 

Finn stared at Poe’s wall of medals that decorated the light creamy walls and even trophies that sat on simple shelves around the room. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, mentally checking off each badge hanging on the wall.  _ A series of commendations from the police department. Distinguished Service medal. Distinguished Service Cross. A Model of Honor from his World War I days _ . His eyes flew open, grimacing at the medals.

He hated seeing them.

“You really need to dust in here, Poe” Finn mumbled, coughing slightly beneath a pillow that had been slammed back into his face. 

“How about we go to your place next time then? If mine is such a crime against the cleaning gods” he joked, elbowing him in the ribs briefly. 

“I should really go” Finn reached for his shirt, quickly throwing his tank on and searched for his button up that was laying in a heap of clothes next to the bed. He still lived in the orphanage, scrubbing the floors by day and going across the city at night for his shift at the bar.  He had been lucky enough to have a room to himself, a luxury that he cherished despite the lonely nights. 

“What afraid your ‘cleaning’ can’t wait?”

“Poe… No, I’m sorry, I have to go” he bit his lips as he felt Poe’s soft hands graze against the edge of his thumb. He moved closer instinctively. He knew Poe had only meant that as a joke, however it didn’t feel like it to him. He should have left during the night, like he normally did. Crawled back up through the fire escape and curl up into his bed and wait there till morning, his knees pressed up to his chin as he would attempt to block out the stifled cries through the walls. 

“I was just teasing, I’m sorry if I hurt you, Finn. I didn’t mean it like that. Please come back to bed.” he made a grab at his arm. The silence overtook the room, neither daring to move and listening to the hushed puffs of air as they sucked in another breath. 

“I… I should go. For real this time” Finn whispered, staring at his scarred hands that become rough over the years. He knew he would never be a hero like him. He worked as nothing but a thief for the better part of a decade. Simple missions that cleared his head and became a game to him and he had become very good at them. The exhilaration of success mixed with his peers jealous gaze and his supervisor’s approval fueled him. Then he got his first real mission, A clear shot through a window. A police chief that got too close to tearing apart their empire.

A job Poe had been next in line for and had been more than happy to accept.

“It’s just us right now, nobody else. Nothing else. Just you and me.” he murmured, rubbing soothing circles into Finn’s back. He could feel a thick knot of tension melt away beneath his touch. 

Finn shifted his weight against him, not daring to look him in the eye as they listened to the fan uselessly beat against the humid summer air. 

 

**New York 1931**

“Finn isn’t coming” Poe sighed, “he left. Took the train to Hartford.” 

“Why didn’t you stop him?” Rey grumbled, slapping his arm to keep him from shifting too much. She had been re rolling his bandages, grimacing at the state of his wounds. She worked quickly, cleaning his wound and pulling the fresh bandages tight around his waist. 

“I couldn’t.” he grunted, shaking his head. Despite her tender touches with her fingers fluttering like a soft trail ladybugs crawling up his side he could feel the weight of her strength behind each tender touch. Her hands stilled momentarily.   

“You could have! He would do anything for you, no matter what you would have said he would follow you.” She stood up now, shoving a bloodied rag against his chest with her neat eyebrows knitted together in anger. He wanted to laugh at her intensity. No matter what was happening, she delivered the same vivid passion to everything and he admired that. It was the same burning passion he saw in Finn.  

“I wouldn’t force him, he said he doesn’t love me anymore. That he hasn’t in years… I wish I could have changed how things went, but I can’t. It’s done. He took that damn train and ran away again.” he whispered, staring down at his cracked hands. 

Last time he had seen him was in Cincinnati. He had been lured out of town when he had a rumor about a thief who had stolen gold from the head of the Phasma Corporation, a known supporter of Kylo Ren’s nation wide campaign since the beginning of his run. They did their routine. Spar, coffee and a check for next time. Nothing had seemed out of the ordinary and it been barely two months since then.  

“Well that was a lie! He talks about you constantly ‘Poe this, Poe that, Poe would never’” she deepened her voice, throwing her hands around in wild gestures that ended with her whacking a hammer off the table that went soaring into a wall. 

They stared at the smell dent it left on the metal wall for a moment. Rey sighed and went to tape a new poster of on top of it that she pulled from a box in the corner. She smoothed each colorful corner, flattening the illustration of a couple sharing a drink on top a paragraph of blurred text. Poe laughed breathlessly at that, remembering how he and Finn would often show up at her door with their arms full of posters from around the world on the rare occasions she didn’t join them. The ache in his chest forced him back into his reality. 

“He made up his mind, I saw him get on that train to nowhere. That’s it for us. I thought we would be together forever. I know that sounds ridiculous, but I just...” He murmured, picking at his fingernails, “The three of us forever. Shit, that’s so childish isn’t it?”

“It isn’t.” Rey grinned, “I thought the same for the longest time. When we were in Chicago… I dreamed about leaving and us all settling down somewhere foreign. Somewhere where Kylo Ren doesn’t exist and we could all just be together in some silly band. Me singing, you on the guitar and Finn…” she paused, her eyebrows furrowing in thought “He would be our biggest fan. I don’t think he can play anything. Maybe one day we would give him a triangle to play.”

“That sounds perfect” he whispered, rubbing his eyes in effort to mask the tears that were threatening to spill over. He had thought similar things in the past when he had been curled up with Finn in bed, hushed murmurings about a future that they both knew could never exist outside of that cramped room. 

“He’ll be back, you know he will. Finn would never run away from this” She consoled him, wrapping her arms around his waist and rubbing soothing circles into his back. “He would never admit it, but he cares too much. He’s a good guy.”

“Yea…” he murmured, staring straight out the window up above her head. He watched birds fly by, their wings flapping against the winds and disappearing past the high trees. Leaves fluttered against the breeze, twirling in circles before coming loose and drifting slowly before floating past the window. 

“Are you okay, Poe?” 

“Okay as I can be, I guess. Are you?” he sighed, reaching out to hold her hands. 

“I’m always okay. Don’t beat yourself up. It’s not your fault he’s a stubborn fool. Both of you are.”

He kissed her forehead.

***

Poe sat down on the couch by Rey’s bed, leaning back into the soft cushion and stretching his arms out until he felt the sharp crack come from his back. He frequently complained about the disaster she called a room, however he secretly loved sneaking away to it. Her room had once been an office, cramped and filled to the brim with scattered papers and a desk that had been worn into oblivion. She transformed it all, flipping the desk and lining it with fabric to use  as a chair that she could curl her full body into as she worked late into the night at her new desk that filled half the room. 

“What next?” He whispered to himself, laying out his stiff fingers in front of his face. He had three options for what he could do next. He could accept defeat, return to the station and pretend like this never happened. He could go after Finn, try to catch up to him and leave New York for good. Or he could face Kylo Ren by himself, once and for all. 

He stood up quickly, shifting through a pile of clothes on the floor before he found a plain creme button up with only a splattering of paint on the right shoulder. Poe picked at the flakes, doing his best to make what was once one of his work shirts presentable again. He had to leave before Rey noticed.

“Are you decent?” Rey yelled, knocking on the door with both fists. She swung open the door, one hand covering her eyes despite the obvious slit in her hand where he could clearly see her wide eyes peeking out. 

“What if I wasn’t decent? Could you imagine the scandal?”

“Nothing I haven’t seen before.” She shrugged, rustling around in her mountains of belongings before pulling out a striped bag with a triumphant smile on her face. “I’m heading out to pick up supplies. I’m not letting you sit here and mope about. You’re going to pick yourself up and move on just like we always do. Come on.”

“You’re cruel, Rey” Poe groaned as she dragged him out of the room and back out outside. He scrunched his eyes against the sun that had already begun to set but still stung. They walked back into the city together, hand in hand with her bag draped over his shoulder and their arms swinging between them. Rey cupped his face and gingerly placed a kiss on his lips as she waved her goodbye, disappearing into a store leaving him alone once again.

Poe trudged down the next few blocks towards his apartment, glancing numbly at the people who knocked into him and shuffled him around. He had to act too fast, but he didn’t know where to begin. He had been tracking Kylo Ren for years up, however his movements have always been erratic. There was no system to where he would go next, he would simply turn up, cause havoc and move on. It had taken him years to track him down in Chicago before he ended up in that fateful bar as part of the band as a favor to an old informant of his. The bar that he had first  met Finn at all those years ago.  

He glanced up in time to see an older women catch hold of his arm, her dark brown eyes flickering around and wide with fear. She had a scarf tucked around her head, hiding the thin wisps of greyed hair that peeked out at the edges. 

“Brooklyn Bridge. Sunset” she whispered, staring deep into his eyes as hers wavered unsteadily. Her arms shook his violently, the deep blue of her veins stuck out against her pale skin. She licked her chapped lips before racing off down the street, her hole dotted skirts billowing out behind her. 

“What a fucking drama queen,” he groaned. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm alive!! I'm so sorry for how late this is, I meant to post it weeks ago but I just wasn't 100% happy with it. Two more chapters to go till the end!   
> I love Poe/Rey/Finn to death, but for this fic I'm sticking to mainly Poe/Finn with hints of Rey as being partially involved. I really love Poe/Finn's relationship and I'm excited to explore that more in the final chapters. As always, thank you for reading and being patient with me. <3
> 
> Also, all chapter titles are songs from musicals I like. I don't think I've mentioned that yet.


	6. Lessons Learned

**Chicago 1923**

“I’ll come back for you, Finn” Poe grabbed his hand, placing a soft kiss across each of his knuckles. “I just need to get these kids to New York and I will come right back.” Poe had crawled up the fire escape to Hux's office on the ninth floor. Finn couldn't help each nervous glance at the door at the thought of the two of them being discovered in there. Despite it being a larger room it had been sparsely furnished with only the bare minimum needed for his work.

“I trust you.” he nodded, gripping their hands together. His palms became clammy from his nerves, he had hoped Poe wouldn’t feel his doubt. Their plan had been successful. Eighty-two orphans safely tucked away in cars scattered throughout the city, ready to leave at a moment’s notice to their refuge to a variety of cities in the North East. He couldn’t believe it, but they really did it. Those kids were going to be safe and get the help they needed.

“Be careful here, yea? I don’t think Kylo has noticed what has happened yet, but once he does get as far away as you can. It won’t be safe here for much longer. Just do what you have to and don’t get yourself killed.”

“Yea okay, Mom.” he snorted, attempting to mask the sudden wave of emotion he felt. Hux had been putting together an emergency self destruct in the basement after whispers of their illegal business made their rounds. It was enough to take down the block, destroying his empire and all evidence that could point towards them as anything but an orphanage with an unfortunate gas leak. Finn volunteered to defuse it, claiming he had been part of the group involved in its creation. Poe glowered at him the entire meeting at the station, knowing full well he had only been involved in sanitation and repairs. He tried to bring it up again multiple times in passing, Finn had brushed him off each time and made excuses about being late for work.

“I’m serious. You know better than anyone at what he’s capable of. You’ve worked for him all of your life. Don’t do anything stupid. Repeat the plan back to me.”

“First you leave this damn city, second I sneak into the basement and get rid of the bomb and then third I get the hell out of there and you come back for me.” He was proud of how confident he managed to sound. He had been dreading this day for the past few weeks, choosing to focus on his time with Poe rather than the ticking clock located just a few floors beneath him and the fact that Rey was locked away three stories above him.

Kylo had wandered into the club one night while she had been performing and had become obsessed with her years ago. He would show up at random times, taking the seat at the front with extravagant gifts in hand. Rey had refused him multiple times which ended with him with a broken nose and a split lip on multiple occasions. Soon enough he began to follow her to her other jobs all over the town. At every club he repeated the same routine. First chair, gifts and a knockout punch delivered by her calloused knuckles. Kylo never touched her, never dared to knowing the full capacity of her strength however, he would always hang around like a mosquito drawn to her blood. She rarely confided in Finn, but had confessed she was terrified of him and what he would do next. His calm demeanor and mixed dangerously with his erratic movements and unpredictable behavior.

“I wish you would come with me now.”

“I do too. But I need to do this first. After all, you’re coming back for me, right?” He kept Rey’s kidnapping a secret from Poe. She had been missing for two days now with no contact. He had been unsure about whether or not he truly had her locked away up there, but there was only one way he could be sure. Although a sick feeling in his stomach told him he already knew the truth. He knew Poe would use the entire police force to find her even if it meant destroying the progress they had made in tracking Kylo and cornering him at last. He couldn’t have that, he needed this nightmare to end and to rescue those children who could still be saved.

“Of course I am. As soon as we get them settled, I’ll be here. Then you and me can go do anything. Hell, we could take a vacation to Venice for all I care. I’ll fly us there.” Finn smiled, his shoulders relaxing as he considered the idea. He could see it. Them laying on a beach together without a worry in the world. He imagined Poe as a gondolier with a striped shirt, tight fitting pants and a small straw hat. He had seen them in a film with Poe one day. The rest of the movie was lost to him between the scurrying of hands searching frantically for each other in the darkened theater.

“Knock knock.”

“Now, Poe, I really don’t think it’s the time for knock knock jokes Hux is going to be walking in here any second-”

“Knock knock” he repeated, a tired smile playing at his lips. He looked so alive. His cheeks became a rosey red and his eyes twinkled in a way he had never seen before. Danger made him beautiful and that frightened him.

“Who’s there?” He sighed. He figured it would be easy to let him get on with it.

“I fell in love with...”

“I fell in love with who?”

“I fell in love with you.” He whispered, grabbing at the nape of Finn’s neck and gently pressing their foreheads together. They closed their eyes, their breathes stuttering against each other before it evened out after a few minutes. Finn listened to the soft padding of footsteps coming from down the hall. His breath hitched.

“Man, that was so ridiculously cheesy.” He breathed out, nostrils flaring. He knew he promised to come back and would never abandon him here. His white knight who slayed his demons and gave him the courage to triumph by trusting the hero. The answer to his mess of a world.

“Yea, but it’s true.”

“Someone’s coming, you have to go now…”

“I’ll be back. I promise I will come back for you. I love you, Finn.”

“Cash or check?” He managed to stutter out with a shaky smile to accompany his words. He was scared shitless of what was to come. He had to rescue Rey before it was too late, before he managed to do anything extreme. He had to blow up the building. He had to return to Poe.

“Check with some cash on the side.” Poe murmured, reaching forward to place one last kiss to his mouth. Their lips had barely touched and soon enough he was out the window and crawling down the firescape. Finn put his fingers to his lips, mourning the loss of him despite him only being a few steps away.

“Finnegan. What are you doing in my office? You were assigned to clean the fourth floor today.” He jumped at the sound of Hux’s chilly voice that suddenly filled the room. He turned around, staring at the slicked back hair and his icy glare. He had been working for this organization all his life, rising quickly through the ranks and becoming second in command to the third generation’s leader. Something in his face made it seem like he often regretted his position serving an overgrown teenager who threw tantrums so often it became a necessity to have a daily cleaning and maintenance crew.

“F-fourth? My apologies, I thought the sheet said ninth floor.” He watched the small sigh escape from his lips and thanked whatever deity that may or may not exist for his direct supervisors notoriously horrid handwriting.

“Well? Get on with it.” Hux swung the door open and gestured towards the hallway. He thanked him profusely, muttering his half hearted apologies as he ran down the hall, a detonator safely tucked inside his sweat slicked palms.

***

Finn slumped against a wall in one of the open dormitories for the younger kids. The room had been nothing more than rows of neatly made beds with small trunks at the end of each of them. The children always cleaned up after themselves, making his job incredibly easy for the day which gave him time to think. He couldn’t believe he got away with it. He had stolen the detonator from Hux’s desk and managed to escape without so much as a second glance. He failed to tell Poe the full extent of his plans. He had no knowledge of how bombs or any explosive worked other than the fact that the small button in his hand had the capability of flattening the only world he has known. However, he never wanted to see this place again. He could never return to Chicago again knowing this building still existed.

He glanced around nervously till his eyes landed on one of many clocks on the opposite wall. He had four hours until Hux would realize that the building was empty. Plenty of time to find a way to get rid of just enough explosives to only break down the structure of the building? He thumped his head against the wall, cursing himself and his ideals. He couldn’t do this. He wasn’t a hero in this story, Poe was. He needed Poe here to do this, he cursed his stupidity for volunteering for this job and pretending he knew what he was talking about. He could do this. How hard could it be? Sure, he could definitely do this. He nodded to himself, mentally preparing himself for what was to come. He reached his hands out to grab on to his mop and bucket and hoisted himself up with it.

“Finny!” He jumped at his name, his thumb hovering dangerously over the button. He glanced up in time to see someone come hurtling at him until they were practically touching.

“Jesus BB, you frightened me. Damn, be careful.” Finn wiped his hand across his sweat slicked brow.

“But… I got you… the thing.” His blonde curls bounced animatedly around him as it flew off his forehead and gave him a peek at what laid beneath it. The right side of his face had been matted down with scars licking up and down his forehead and cheek. Beneath his half eaten eyebrow had been more strips of thick scars that took up the spot where his once golden eye once sat which had been sealed over as it had healed. The other eye shone with excitement at his news.

“She says ‘Cut the blue.’” He smiled, his crooked teeth lighting up his face with a pair of pliers in his outstretched hand. Finn gratefully accepted the tool and tucked it away into his jacket. The two of them made an odd pair, however both were fiercely loyal to each other after their initial meeting where BB had pleaded Finn to help him find his family. He hadn’t remembered what had happened. Together they worked on remembering their pasts and constructed together an imaginary life where the two of them had been together all their lives as brothers. 

“Thank you. Now go out to the bridge. Poe’s car is there. Tell him to go.” He hugged the small child to his chest quickly before pushing him away and shooing him towards the stairwell. A scrappy kid by the name Benjamin Baxter whose family had flickered out in the night when a neighboring house had caught on fire. He had managed to escape and ended up in Kylo’s care shortly after the accident.

“Will you be meetin’ us in there, Finny?”

“No, I’m going out to California to pursue a career in film. I’m going to be the next ‘It’ girl and seduce Lon Chaney into giving me his motor and all his secret hidden gold.”

“God, you’re so weird. You're startin' to act like Poe!” BB laughed, slapping Finn’s stomach before heading down the winding stairs and jumping from step to step with glee.

As soon as his mess of matted curls disappeared from sight, he began his long walk down the stairs. He knew everyone besides Kylo and Hux would be out at this time working various jobs throughout the town. Even many of those who had worked in sanitation had been sent to the streets to gather information regarding a rumored gang that had been on the rise.

All except for Finn. He had volunteered to stay behind once he had seen how the others in his crew were eager to get out and do more than patch up a wall. He slipped down the door into the basement, running quickly down the stairs and almost tripping in his hurry when he saw the time. He flipped through his ring of keys before he noticed the metal clasped had already been clipped and laying at his feet. He pushed aside the door with his leg, careful not to let the rusted hinges creak. He flipped on the lights, cringing at the sheer size of the room and the piles of random items that were scattered haphazardly around.

He walked slowly at first and took his time to explore each pile of junk before he saw the pattern. Most of the pieces were made of wood and drenched in gasoline. He gagged at the smell, hurrying to throw a pile of clothes on top in order to mask the smell. He glanced at spot he had just cleared and yelped. Six piles of carefully stacked dynamite sat in front of him. Wire were tightly coiled around the sticks and ran up towards the wall and around the hanging lights.

“Blue wire.” He mumbled to himself as he reached for the pliers with his trembling hands. He couldn’t believe he would actually be doing this. He knelled down and picked up the thin wire only to find it unattached.

The wires were already snipped. Someone had gotten there before him. He felt his heart sink despite his sigh of utter relief. He didn’t need to find a way to get rid of the bombs but at the same time he couldn’t destroy the place that created him. He walked slowly through the room, checking each container for any signs of life. Each one had been treated similarly. A flash of silver caught his eye at the final one tucked away in the corner. He raced over to it to see a small pair of pliers that were left abandoned below the still intact wires. He couldn’t believe his luck. One would be enough to take down the building without completely obliterating it. Finn picked up the pliers, tossing the small tool around in his hands.

“I wonder who did it?” he whispered to himself, Who had the knowledge to be able to pull this off without anyone batting an eye at their appearance? His felt his blood go cold at the thought.

Rey.

She had been missing for two days and had been there when Poe and him were going over their plans. She knew what he had been planning to do and wanted to save him from this before he could do something stupid. She hadn’t been careful enough. Finn couldn’t breath. He felt the world begin to collapse around him as his vision began to swirl. He wouldn’t be able to fight. He had been powerless to help her. He had nothing. He let out a choked sob, shoving his arm in his mouth to stifle his cries. He reached into his pocket, his shaky hands bringing up the small detonator and grasping it like a rosary.

He wasn’t the hero. He didn’t need to listen to the small part of him that screamed about it being a bad idea. He had to act fast. He pressed down quickly, slamming the small button in his hand and running for his life. There only had been enough dynamite to wipe out a section of the first floor, giving him the much needed time to find Rey. His best friend and only person in the world that understood him. His life didn’t mean much to him, but he had to make sure she was safe. He needed to see her. He needed to apologize to Poe. He was right to be wary of him being trusted with this job. Despite his protests, he had looked so proud when he had offered to go in. That stupid proud feeling he cherished and couldn’t believe he had gotten even for a fraction of a second. He didn’t deserve it. He messed up.

“You bastard!” Finn grabbed onto the wall, listening to the voices shouting in the distance. He distinctly heard Rey’s yell followed by a clunk and a groan that filled the quickly crumbling building.

“Rey!” He shouted up towards the ceiling, climbing the stairs two at a time. He had reached the fourth floor. That wasn’t close enough, no where near close enough. He had to get back to her and make sure she was safe.

“Finn!” Her voice cracked, booming from two flights above him. He wanted to scream in relief at the sight of her.

“Y-you came back for me? Back here?” she stammered, her eyes watering and hands grabbing for the back of his head. She clamped down on his tight mass of hair with her breaths coming in short puffs.

“Why did you come back here? You were set to go with Poe, why were you so stupid?” Finn sobbed as he buried his head into her hair that stuck to his sweat slicked face.

“Y-you wouldn’t have known what to do a-and I do. B-but Kylo h-he caught me and…”

“Did he hurt you?” “No, this blood is his.” She laughed through her tears, wiping splatters of blood off her face. “I knocked him out as soon as the floor rumbled.” The stairs shifted beneath them, the old wood splintering and the two of them were brought back to their bitter reality.

“We need to go. There’s a fire escape here we can-” The landing they had jumped to for safety began to crumble. He refused to let her die. Not her who had so much to offer the world. He had to think fast before the building crumbled and engulfed both of them in the rumble and flames.

“I love you, Rey.” Finn whispered as he pushed her back into the window that shattered easily beneath the weight of her body. Her expression shifted from relieved to betrayed and horrified within seconds as she reached out her hands in a desperate attempt to grab him.

“Finn! Finn!” He listened to her muffled yells shrieking his name and see the thin silhouette of her figure in between the flames that came to life with help of the fallen staircase. She would be able to get away from there. A few shards of broken glass in her back would be significantly better than being dead. He knew he had to get out now, the floor had begun to cave in and he only had seconds left before his place on the sixth floor met its untimely end. He could feel the heat of the flames slowly licking its way up even through the thick soles of his shoes. Finn couldn’t go on for much longer. The smoke began to seep through the floorboards and engulf him in its suffocating embrace. What would he tell Poe? That he failed to behave and complete his mission in a selfish attempt to free his friend and destroy his old life? He had allowed himself to become so weak in the moment and betrayed the life he would have had.

“I’m sorry, Poe.” He whispered, wrapping his arms tightly around himself and running his fingers along the dusty leather. At least no one else would be hurt by his actions anymore and he could die pretending he was being held by the one person in the world he wished he could whisper his final farewell.

He glanced up in time to see the ceiling crumble and beams coming tumbling towards him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look at that finally talking about Chicago after referencing it a billion times. All right I know I said there would only be one more chapter after this one, but I changed my mind about the plot so there are still two more chapters to come! I'm sorry for the delay again school and work are a killer but I promise this fic will be finished soon. Thank you for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally a creative writing piece I wrote in high school for a class, but I found it the other day and realized it worked really well for these two. Not sure how frequent updates will be though I try to post at least once a week. Thanks for reading and as always I appreciate all comments/criticism! 
> 
> Also, "Cash or Check" is a phrase I found on a 1920s slang site which means "Would you like a kiss now or later?" which I thought was cute so here we are.


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